Fluid mixing valve



March 1954 D. IBJIERMANN 2,670,

FLUID, MIX'ING VALVE Filed Apg. 1, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR DAVID BIERMANN z Z Z a ATTORNEYS March 2, 1954 D. BIERMANN 2,670,901 7 FLUID MIXING VALVE Filed Aug. 1, 1951 8 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE-NTOR DAVID BIERMANN ATTORNEYS vention is concern I fluctuatebadlyin discharged."

Patented Mar. 2, 1954 OFF-ICE artzell Industries, 'I ncJ, l 'P iqua, Ohio,

Application August 1, 1951;.saa1' No; 2 395675 This invention relates 'toa; method and apparatus for ,controllingqfluid temperatures, and particularly to such ;methods and apparatus in connection with mixing valves of the type that can be employed inishowers and the like inorder to. regulate the temperature ofthe fluid being :discharged. Itwillnbeaapparentas this descriptionproceeds,thatthere are other uses to which a'valve of this nature canbe put, as, for example, v in connection ,with 1 certain industrial processes,

particularly chemical, but for the sake of. 'elarity e type of. valve that. h s: be n. il us ate a an the particular description is for a regulatingand mixing valve for a shower. J V

Mixing valves which are'suppliedwith hot and cold Water and which mix;;the streams of hot and cold water to form a single stream of water at a pre-determinedtemperature, and operate known in t t. an .hey ehe ntes perm larly in industrialprocesses;for somev time. 7

Th W V qw re ghe JE L tirely satisfactory due ;toa number of diiferent o In h rst'elece r lies {it th na u have heretofore been quite expensive andithis has largelylimited their use to industrial pur poses. to t second, mo lY Y thi type e k 5. 3 3 3 sensitivity to hold the temperature close enough to the desired value fo1 use in connection with, for example, a shovver, wherea person could 'b'ecome severely burned on account oflacl; of sensitivity of the valve or couldjat anyrate experience extreme discomfo tpecause or the shower water one hand relatively insensitive to tempt ature "i eu -i'iiflih alled in the artment changes while on the other handheing ext emely sensitive topressur h' plumbing system of p e'sieeriee" I buildingthere is aftendency when other taps are turned enor-1,0 ez'buildi ng; tor them to w asbr ueht'about.b .eX me on itio adjustment of the valve are "smoothed -'ciut and perature and volume; These valves haveben exeeedingly' complicated and expensive and have required a great deal or maintenance and, partly due to'their complex constructionjhave 'a'tendency to accumulate deposits of lime and other foreign substanc es p "'A still further fault encountered in connection vgith mixing valves of this nature'is' that'whereas they were sometimes sensitive at one discharge rateiand at one temperature, they became-insensitiyfewhen the discharge volume was changed to any greatdegree or when the desired tempera-- ture output'was adjusted toward one or" the limits ofthevalve. j 1

' Accordinglvit is :a primary object of this inv ntion to devise an automatic regulatingjand mixing valve of the nature' described' of extremely high sensitivity and'capable of holding thel'disielie ee temper e O the i e fluid to a u stantiallvconjs'tant value.

'It is a further object to provide a regulating and mixing valve of the nature referred'tof which is substantially insensitive to temperature J esin the suppliedfiuidthatis to berni xed. v Astill further obj ect' is the provision of a reign-- 'lating and mixing valve of high sensitivity which 'is'fsuhstantially independ nt of normal pressure .ve atit'o s'i he upp y n s- Another Obj8Ct jOI f this invention is to provide a regulating and "mixing valve of high sensitivity Whichfwilljinaintain its sensitivity through a Wide'range of volume flow.

p riiee rj bie t 0i h s inv io g s to 1 wvlde a'valve which is quite simple in construction thereby greatly reducing the service probms and also making the valve relatively" in- I xp'ensive tomanuiacture and. sell.

e p ie r thefer t 'inanarrangernent in combinationwith aft" perttureregulating mechanism whereby flue 'atjions in temperaturehof. the fluid discharge if the 'slio minimized before the fluid reaches the point at which it is to be used.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a valve of the nature referred to in which auxiliary valves for preventing interflow between the hot and cold supply pipes are eliminated.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing an arrangement of the mixing valve of my invention in connection with a shower.

Figure 2 is a view looking in at the face of the valve with the handles thereof removed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken through the valve showing the temperature sensitive element therein and the valve member which it controls.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross section taken through the temperature sensitive element.

Figure 5 is a View generally in section and showing the arrangement of the hot and cold inlets for the valve and the controlling valve member therefor andthe location of the discharge port of the valve.

Figure 6 is a sectional view indicated by line 66 on Figure 3 and showing the arrangement of the control spring in the regulating valve member.

Figure '7 is a perspective view showing a modified arrangement of the central spool of the control valve member.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the cam arrangement that is connected with the control knob by means of which the temperature of the fluid discharge from the valve can be regulated;

Figure 9 is a plan view looking into the valve with the cover plate removed.

Figure 10 is a sectional view indicated on line lit-I of Figure 3 and showing the construction of the temperature sensitive element and the restoring spring therefor; and

Figure 11 is a sectional view indicating one form of surge chamber or auxiliary mixing chamber that can be positioned on the downstream side of the regulating valve when desired.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, and particularly to Figures 2 through 10, the valve body is indicated at 10 and forms a cavity or main chamber which is closed at the front side by a cover plate I I that may be held in place by screws 12. Gasket means as indicated at E3 may be provided for preventing leakage from the chamber within the valve body.

The hot and cold water supply pipes are threaded into the valve body at ports I4 and I respectively, while the mixed and regulated water is discharged from the valve through the threaded port l6.

According to this invention the ports (4 and l5 open into a valve bore It at spaced points 4 spaced stopped positions of the valve member H.

The aforementioned main spool part of the valve member is indicated at 2'! and is disposed within an enlarged chamber portion 24 in bore 18. The said spool 21 is somewhat shorter in length than the enlarged chamber portion 24 and this said chamber portion thereby normally communicates with both of the chambers 19 and for receiving fluid therefrom.

A port 25 opens from the said enlarged chamber portion 24 of bore 18 into the main chamber of the valve body and which chamber communicates, as illustrated, with the discharge port [6.

Within the main chamber of the valve there are provided a pair of spaced L-shaped support brackets 28 which rotatably support a shaft 29 and which may advantageously be held in position in the said L-shaped brackets by means of the snap rings 38.

The shaft 29 between the brackets, has attached thereto the inner end of a spiral bi-metallic element St which has its free outer end bent back as at 32 to form a rounded configuration that bears on the upper end of valve member ll. It will be apparent that changes in temperature within the chamber of the main valve body will result in flexing of the bi-metallic element in one direction or the other thereby to actuate the valve member ll.

In order to give a thrust on the valve member in the upward direction, the said valve member is centrally bored as indicated 33 in Figure 6 and a long spring 3% extends into the said bore from the bottom of bore 18. This long spring gives a substantially constant thrust to the valve member throughout its range of travel and this contributes materially to the extreme sensitivity of the valve.

In order to prevent trapping of fluid in the lower end of bore 18 beneath the lower end of valve member H, the said bore 33 is intercepted by the transverse passage 35 adjacent the upper end of valve member ll so that the pressure in the lower end of bore i8 is always exactly equal to that within the main chamber of the valve body and no fluid can be trapped beneath the valve member. At the same time, thi arrangement can be availed of to provide a certain damping effect for the valve member by adjustin the size of bore 35 in order somewhat to restrict the discharge of fluid therefrom should it become necessary to do so in order to prevent hunting or rapid fluctuations of the valve member.

Inasmuch as the chamber beneath enlarged portion 24 of bore [8 is supplied with hot water and the chamber above the said enlarged portion is supplied with cold water, the bi-metallic element 31 is arranged to move valve member I! downwardly when the temperature in the main chamber of the valve increases and to flex in a direction to permit movement of valve member ll upwardly by biasing spring 30 when the temperature in the main chamber of the valve decreases.

Shaft 29- has its one end turned out of the plane of the axis of the said shaft, as will be seen at 36 in Figures 3, 9, and 10. This bent part 36 of the shaft bears against a leaf spring 31 that thrusts upwardly on the part 36 and tends to urge the shaft in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3. On the opposite side of the bent part 36 of shaft 29 there is a cam member 38 having its lower surface as at 38a formed to a helix of a suitable pitch. to givethe range of "gaps 43-and M formed between theicham ber l ll and and between 'the ChamberS 20 and 24, -respectively Unless the openingiandielosinge of :1 these openings is gra'dual, :the temp'e'ra'ture i in 'itlie main chamber ofthe valvei body has a tenden'cy to change rapidly and this results i in' unstable=action of the bi metallic-elementfduefto itslinab'ility: to react as quicklyras the tempe'rature -is=changing within the chamber. Erratic oscillation of the valve member 11 results {and this condition can become sU-SeVer-e that control ofthe water temperature by the'valveisflostcom- --pletely.

1 In 1 order I to accomplish this -:'gradual opening -"and closing of the gaps 43 fiand 'M, the 'opposite 1 ends of spool L21 may advantageously be i tapered --as indicated by reference numeral 45, :this arrangem'ent 4 providing for the gradual restricting -"and-establishing 0f-the fiowlas described.

As seen in Figure -7 other means can be "pro vided for afie'cting this attenuation andias illustrated in Figure 7, such mea'ns may comprise 'V--'shaped tapering grooves or; slots- 46 fornredin =the opposite ends 'of spool 2'1 of -valve member [1. Flow through the valve at the 'outlet '1 l6 may advantageously. be controlled by a valve member as at '4'! of any suitable and well-known type 1 which cooperates with a seat :48. Valve' member -41 is secured to' the lower end of the valve'stem 49 having a regulating knob 50 sec'ured 'to' 'the "end thereof and the said stem: extendingthrough i =a packing arrangement '51 for from'thevalve.

Located Within the' pa'ssage between the seat 48 and the discharge'iopening of the-valve ""restriction52 whioh, while :mit full flow through the'valve, is so :arranged so that it will not permit' the' 'freeexhaustingmf the main chamber of the valve so that :at all'-times the' said restriction 'or orifice has a certain Ithrotpreventing-leakage mize i changes in rates of fluid flow inithe hat-"and cold supply :pipes as lbrought about by changes 1 in pressure therein and makes the iop'er'a'tion of 3 and 5. In these-figuresthe'walkofcthe shower cabinet is indicated1atfi58 -and acsnap ring attfifi" "serves to secure :the -valve *bodywithinian aperturerin the saidwallwhereas anzannular'sealing ring 60 is positionedzbetween "the cover plate and the saidshower wall. *Byrtms arrangement the valve body :can be readily mounted-3n ;the :posi

tion in the aperture in-.=the :wa'-ll tof rthe shower 1 cabinet and the cover plate :thereaftermounted thereon'ancl the entire unitzpresentsra neat and ifinished appearance.

Q -therinitherarran'gementcoftbhevvalve oftt-hisv" vention, generally indicated atefil, inecombinaz tioniwitlna shower healda62. tfrheldiottwlatensupply dinen's iiidicated tat 63 aandathe momma/tar :supply linez'ateed. l-fIi-hemlischargeizlinerfromtthe eregiulatingwalveiiszrindieated attlii and. thisrleads e-totthez irrletcefrai surge'ztank ztfiawhose discharge -sidezis-xconnected byzicondniti:S-hwvithetheeshower heads'fiz. V 'aThe:surge'ttainlczoperatesitormaintaima 1 iibodyz of fluid zof ta: sit'bstantialssize :betvteen it-he regulating-waive [and (the ahead asorlthat vchanges tin'temperatnrexat itheetiischargeisi'deeof 2the?valve:are.smoothedaoutaamhminimizedrhefore ithey rea'chzthe showeuzhea'd.

5 iii-figure :11 iaz-somewhatmnoilified aarranee- -mentzof the surgeatankiisi'shown. hiszfigure :the:inc0mingzfiuiclzenterszrammemshel ...6lh-iterfio- :rrate'di about: itszperipherytandl'lengtheas vatewzso zrthat thezincomingifilmrtiszdischarged"throughout 2 :the interiortoflthe outer 'shellelillz-andzm thismran- :ner ethoroughlyrsa'dmixes with etherziiuid: in-ithe souter: shemso: that thessurgexchamberlhas aneadriditional regulating and .amxingeeiiect szon :the waterwhenthe temperaturetatathevdischargemf theregulatin'gz valve varies.

important feamiresofzthepresent talvecresides-in the lfa'ctthatiwhemtheiivohimezcontrolling valve: is iclosedrconsitssseat .therebyshaiting Iflow through the valvet-ithe'aboriymfafluid within the valve chamber graduallyiieoolsmfimand this causes the bi-metallicvastrip torrlefiectztosthezpeint that the spool i2 7' 'of.. the=-' :vaive1member 1'1 closes off one of the:gaps rbetweemttheeenlarged chamher portion'i24sands-one zoflithecchambersJimmie vtandlzin this manneriisolatesi thei'coldmatersline fromthe: hot water. line anii thereby preventstsany I interfiow- :between. the :said ilines. "e'rfhisiarrangement conveniently-i"eliminates sthefmecessity3 for 1 an additional: cut-oif valve to preventthis eirculation.

It will be understood' that this inveiition "is susceptible to modification ord'er to aclap't' it to different usages and eus'toms arid is accordingly desired-to comprehend suchimoblifications asmay be consideredato comewiithin ahe scope of' the appended claims.

I I claim:

i 1. :In' a"fiuid miiring' valvep a' walve bo'dy a "'bore formed in said -viallve boliy and havingan enlarged intermediate poi tiomforming al mixing chamber, an inlet ort opening into-said =bore on each -sideof.-sa'id mixingvchamber,"a valve member-reciproca-bly. mounteli in saidb'ore moveable for inversely var'y'ing the communication of said mixing chamber with said ports, said valve being 1 balanced -*-unlier all "conditions or flow through saidvalve,-asecond oha'mber in said valve body in continuous communication with said --mi='xing charribeiwa shaft 'mounted on said second chamber,-'a 'bi-metallic- -strip' having LII 1 abuttingly. -.engaging isaidmva'lve member whereby :changes'tin:temperaturexinasaitl second chamber wills-bring about flexing-pf-saidtbi-metallic elements to move 'saidvalve member; spring-means to move the valve member toward the hi -metallic a stripgan outlet "port :in said valvex bod-y" leading a from :said':secondschamben onitthe'ropposite'nside sOf- Said bimetallic strip f-fro'm' the'ipoint ottom- 70 *mumca'tion of :-said second chambewwith' said .imixing "chamber; :and' means :extern'a'll-y or -said valve for adjus'ting' the'angular' pdsition' .of=said shaft itherein; 'thereby to: adjust the position' of tsaid -bimetallic element said means mornp'iis'ing tan rum 'ii iroperateaemeansteaeernaiiy acr sam valve'and a cam internally or the valve body engaging said shaft;

' 2. In a fiuid'mixing valve; a valve body, a bore formed in said valve body and having an enlarged intermediate portion forming a mixing chamber, an inlet port opening into said bore on each side. of said mixing chamber, a valve member reciprocably mounted in said bore moveable for inversely varying the communication of said mixing chamber with said ports, a second chamber of said valve body in continuous communication with said mixing chamber, a shaft mounted on said second chamber, a bi-metallic strip having one end secured to said shaft and its other end formed to an. arcuate configuration and bearing on said valve member but not connected thereto whereby changes in temperature in said second chamber will bring about flexing of said bi-metallic element to move said valve member, an elongated coil spring urging the valve member toward the end of the bi-metallic strip, an outlet port in said valve body leading from said second chamber, and means externally of said valve for adjusting the angular position of said shaft therein, thereby to adjust the position of said bi-metallic elements, said means comprising a manually operated means externally of said valve and a cam internally f the valve body engaging said shaft, and there being a spring for maintaining said shaft in engagement with the cam at all times.

3. In a fluid mixing valve; a valve body, a valve bore in said valve body having an enlarged intermediate portion forming a mixing chamber, an inlet port opening into said bore on each side of said mixing chamber, a valve member in said valve bore reciprocable for inversely varying the communication of said mixing chamber with saidports, a second and larger chamber in said valve body in continuous communication with said mixing chamber, said valve member being axially bored from one end, a spring in said axial bore acting on said valve member for continuously urgingit in one direction in said valve bore, a temperature responsive element mounted in said second chamber having its end arcuately formed and engaging said valve member for moving it ina direction opposite to the urging of said spring, an exhaust port in said valve body opening from said second chamber positioned so the fluid passing through the valve flows over the bi-metallic strip, and means providing two spaced stopped positions of said valve member in the said bore, said stopped positions being such that in each thereof the said valve member substantially interrupts the communication between said mixing chamber and one of said inlet ports.

4. In a fluid mixing valve; a valve body, a bore in said valve body having an enlarged intermediate portion forming a mixing chamber, an inlet port opening into said bore on each side of said mixing chamber, a valve member in said bore reciprocable therein for inversely varying the communication of said mixing chamber with said inlet ports, a second and larger chamber in said valve body in continuous communication with said mixing chamber, said second chamber being substantially cylindrical and opening through one wall of the valve body, a coverplate detachably secured to said body and closing said opening, temperature responsive means in said second chamber responsive to variations in temperature therein for adjusting said valve member in. h or ther by. o on et said emperature changes, an outlet port in said valve body opening from said second chamber, and means in said port for restricting the discharge of fluid from said second chamber, there being first manually adjustable means associated with said outlet port for varying the rate of discharge of fluid from said second chamber, and there also being second manually adjustable means externally of said valve body for adjusting said temperature responsive means, said first and second manually adjustable means being carried by said cover-plate so removal of the coverplate will expose the entire inside of said second chamber.

5. In a fluid mixing valve of the nature described; a valve body, a valve bore in said body, a pair of inlet ports opening into said bore, a valve member in said bore reciprocable for inversely varying the supply of fluid to said bore from said ports, a chamber of said valve body communicating with said bore to receive fluid therefrom, having an opening through one wall of the valve body, a coverplate closing said opening, a pair of spaced brackets in said chamber, a shaft extending between said brackets and pivotally supported thereon, a bi-metallic element having one end connected with said shaft and its other end bearing on said valve member, an ofiset end on said shaft, a spring acting on said offset end to rotate said shaft in one direction about its axis, a cam also bearing on said offset end for rotating said shaft in the other direction, and rotatable means connected with said cam operable externally of said valve for adjusting said cam, said rotatable means being carried by and extending through said coverplate.

8. In a fluid mixing device; a valve body, a pair of entrance ports formed in the valve body for admitting fluids of different temperatures, a mixing chamber comprising a bore in said valve body communicating with said ports inwardly of but adjacent its opposite ends and having an enlarged central portion, a second chamber in said body communicating with the said central portion of said mixing chamber, a valve member reciprocable in said mixing chamber for increasing the flow through one of said entrance ports while decreasing the flow through the other thereof and vice versa, said valve member having a spool portion fitting said bore at each end thereof and another spool portion of the same size as said bore disposed in said enlarged central portion of the bore whereby said valve member is balanced under all conditions of flow through the valve, and temperature sensitive means in said second chamber responsive to the temperature of the fluid therein for adjusting the position of said valve member in said bore.

7. In a fluid mixing valve; a valve body, two spaced entrance ports formed in said body for admitting fluids of different temperature, a mixing chamber in said valve body comprising a bore communicating inwardly of but adjacent its ends with said entrance ports and having an enlarged central portion, a valve member movable in said bore for inversely varying the flow from said ports to said mixing chamber, said valve member having a spool portion fitting said bore at each end thereof and another spool portion of the same size as said bore disposed in said enlarged central portion of the bore whereby said valve member is in an axially balanced condition under all conditions of flow through said valve, .9, second chamber in said valve body in continuous communication with the said central portiony.of..said.. mixing .chamber, an outlet port communicating with said second chamber for permitting the fluid to leave said valve, said outlet port being remote from the point of communlcation of said second chamber with said mixing chamber, and a temperature responsive element in said second chamber arranged for actuating said valve member to adjust the position of said valve member in said bore in response to changes of temperature in said second chamber.

DAVID BIERMANN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Number Name Date Beauregard May 4, 1937 Kysor Dec. 14, 1937 Snediker May 23, 1939 Dillon Mar. 10, 1942 Lund June 30, 1942 Mufily Nov. 4, 1947 Brown Aug. 31, 1948 Plett Mar. 8, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland July 1, 1940 Great Britain June 17, 1926 France Oct. 22, 1927 

